Lewis j



(No Model.)

L. J. ATWOGD. EXPANSIBLE RNG FOR LAMP SUPPORTS.

No. 521,073. Patented June 5, 1894.

l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEWISJ. ATWOOD, OF WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE PLUME da ATWOOD MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

EXPNSIBLE RING FOR LAMP-SUPPORTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 521,073, dated June 5,1894. Application filed November 9, 1893. Serial No. 490,432. (No model.) v

To all whom t may concern.-

Beit known that I, LEWIS .I ATWOOD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Waterbury, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented an Improvement in EXpansible Rings for Lamp- Supports, of which the following is a specification.

Lamps have heretofore been suspended by a ring at the bottom of a hanger or harp and such ring has also been supported by a bracket or arm, and these rings have been expansible so as to be opened for the insertion of alamp from below and brought together around the lamp and held in the closed position by the action of a hook.

My present invention is made to facilitate the construction of the parts and also the operating of the same by one hand While the lamp is being held by the other hand, and my invention relates t0 the combination of devices hereinafter set forth.

` In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of the ring in its closed or contracted position. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the ring as open. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the ring in the position shown in Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is a section in larger size at the line :r of Fig. 2.

The ring A is of suitable material such as band metal and of the proper size to pass around the lamp, and the ring is either connected with a bracket or more usually provided with ears B for the suspending wires or harp C, and the length of the ring or band A is suflicient for the ends to lap one on the other and be slotted, as at 2, 3, there being rivets or studs 4, 5 near the respective ends of the ring passing through the slots in the other portion of the ring; and it is advantageous to employ spring metal that will cause the ring to expand when not otherwise held, so that the respective studs 4 and 5 will be at the respective ends of the slots 2 and 3 when the ring is not otherwise acted upon, so that the ring will expand to liberate the lamp and will be retracted in closing the ring around the lamp.

I make use of the swinging'latch D which is pivoted at 6 to that end of the ring A which is outsidey the other end of the ring, so that this latch D is easy of access, and it is proa vided with a thumb-piece 7 and a hooking end 8 adapted to catch over the stud 9 and hold the ring when in aclosed condition; and

I provide a stop lingerV lO in the form of a tongue pressed back in the sheet metal of the latch near the pivot thereof and passing into an opening in the ring A near the end of one of the slots 2. This stop finger allows forthe necessary movement of the swinging latch 6o as the same may be moved to latch or unlatch the same from the stud 9, but this stop finger prevents the swinging latch dropping down too far when the ring A is open. I remark that I have shown the pivot 6 for the 65 swinging latch D as formed by one end of the stud 5, but the same may be a separate pivot if desired.

By the construction aforesaid the ring A may be left open when the lamp is not sup- 7o ported thereby, so that the lamp may be passed up from below into the ring A and when in the proper position the ring may be closed by the thumb and finger of one hand acting between the thu mb-piece 7 of the swinging latch 7:, y

D and one of the ears B, and in drawing the latch along so asl to contract the ring, the hook 8 of the swinging latch is caused to pass over the stud9 and catch behind the same and thereby secure the ring in its contracted 8o position in the most reliable manner. By the reverse movement the latch is liberated and the ring expands so that the lamp can be taken out from the same. If desired only'the slot 3 may be employed, the slot 2 and the stud 4 85 being dispensed with. The ear B that is adjacent to the latch becomes anger piece for the iinger or thumb to rest against while the other member of the hand acts on the latch,

but I do not limit myself to the form or char- 9o acter of this nger piece.

I claim as my invention*- 1. 'Ihe combination with the expansible spring ring A having a slot 3 and stud 5 in the slot, of the swinging latch D pivoted near one end of the ring and having a hook and a thumb-piece, the stud 9 upon the ring near its other end and over which the hook catches, and a stop nger 10 formed of the metal of the swinging latch pressed back into an opening roo 1o catches, and a. stop-ngcr to limit the movement of the latch when .the ring is open, and a finger piece for the hand to act against in operating the latch and spring ring, substantially as set forth.

Signed by me this lst day 0E November, 15

LEWIS J. ATWOOD. Witnesses:

I. L. ATWooD,

J. Il. I'IURLBUT. 

